An Alternative Use for Pallets: Council Seeks Old Wooden Pallets for Giant Bonfire!

It’s one of the biggest firework displays in the country, and this year Dudley Council is aiming to make it more spectacular than ever. They’re appealing to local companies to donate unbroken pallets for their annual bonfire and fireworks display on 5th November.

Council staff will spend weeks stacking donated pallets to form a huge, flammable structure which will be the centrepiece of the traditional Himley Hall bonfire night festivities. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the event is aiming to be the best yet.

Build a Better Bonfire

Pallets are the ideal material for building bonfires, as their slatted construction allows the air to circulate and they can be safely and securely stacked. The council will not accept donations of garden waste, old furniture and tree trunks owing to health and safety issues relating to noxious fumes and general fire safety.

Pallet Packing

Wooden pallets are one of the most important parts of the process of packaging and shipping goods, keeping contents safe and secure until they reach their destination. They’re environmentally friendly too, with two trees being planted for every one harvested for the industry. Because of their uniform size and shape, they stack well on special racking systems. Companies such as rackzone offer pallet racking in Ireland to keep the warehouse organised and pallets ready to ship.

The Versatile Pallet

Of course, discarded pallets have far more uses than making the perfect bonfire. They can stack into coffee tables or be nailed together to make rustic outdoor furniture, and they make excellent shelving and beautiful planters for the garden. From wine racks to bedheads, pallets have a myriad of uses.

Pallet furniture looks good, is easy to assemble and is virtually free. In our environmentally aware times, its green credentials are impeccable as it can be reused and recycled, reducing waste.

Ashes to Ashes

Most pallets are created from waste materials, the by-product of lumber that is used in other applications like furniture and paper.

When a pallet nears the end of its useful life, it can be recycled creatively or, in 97% of cases, be turned into boiler fuel in the form of wooden pellets. Dudley council are tapping into the recycling trend to bring their 40th anniversary bonfire to life, and it promises to be spectacular.